Life after COVID-19 for bowlers

Bowlers are going to be the victimized party

Getting back to the basics

Under the current scenarios, where shining the ball via Saliva is totally a crime under the conditions, so we'll have to get to the basics, as the time when reverse-swing was associated as open-secret to Pakistanis only, the time of Lillee's and Robert's are returning, like it is said "time is passing me by".

The reason I posted the video above because this is supposedly one of the ways of bowling under the current bowling scenarios for the cricketing fraternity, where the amount of variations a bowler possesses is going to succeed instead it is going to be otherwise for the majority of them.

Below is the clipping of Vincy Premier League being currently played at St. Vincent, where rustiness and lack of swing can be experienced accordingly, and furthermore it is high time for the back-end thinktank teams to work the problem and make way for newer innovations in Quid Pro Quo because most of the cricket fraternity depends on late swinging deliveries which are going to be the story of the past, therefore banging the balls hard off the pitch and varying your deliveries accordingly just like Shoaib Akhtar did during England tour to Pakistan in 2005, as the commentator also acknowledged he expected nothing off the pitch, therefore, used it as a secret weapon in conditions where it doesn't swing much.

Pace is going to be the key

The pace is the key to success for the current lot of bowlers as the only swinging they (the bowlers) are going to get is via the atmosphere, and atmosphere only supports swinging when there is pace behind, hence, the bowlers who utilize the atmosphere is going to succeed, unlike pre-COVID-19 period where after some overs bowlers used to get assist from the reverse swing.

What is up for Pakistan?

I personally feel (I hope I am wrong), that Pakistan is surely going to suffer because Pakistan possesses less number of pure pace bowlers and more of Medium-Fast bowlers who initially rely on Swinging Deliveries, read Muhammad Musa, etc. If swing is taken away from them, they are venomless, hence they are going to be like a faster-spin-bowlers. The only genuine pace bowlers currently Pakistan have are Muhammad Hasnain and Nasim Shah. 

Developing the bowlers with new skills under a new strategy

It is a well-known fact that just like I read the history of Abdul Razzaq and Azhar Mahmood who used to work hard on the nets and had the courage-and-willingness of developing a skill, which is sans in current lot of cricketers hence this is the period where if cricket requires to initiate after a break, it requires hard workout.

Relaxation Fatigueness 

This is the biggest threat, since March 15, all cricketers have been on idle state, therefore when there is going to be a stir on idleness with sudden impact, is going to breakdown the bowlers hence it is the case of muscle memory, as they have not regularly been practicing because it was not required given current scenarios, hence ICC has opted for 2 to 3 months practice period for bowlers to get into rhythm.

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Shoaib Akhtar - country comes first

Original link enclosed here

Shoaib Akhtar instead of beating around the bush
should go for something constructive for the country

One thing I am not able to understand, though Indian people are not like that how their media is portraying but the fact is in today's scenario where wars are being staged on News Media, than why in the world is Mr. Shoaib Akhtar trying so hard to emphasis on having friendship with India.

Because of people like him

Indians have started to treat Pakistanis as someone taken for granted, otherwise in the 1990s it was other way round where they still rate our cricketers and seniors on a higher level, but now they have downgraded and degraded the pride stature we once had, because of people like Shoaib Akhtar who have no shame in admitting that they are the sole agents of Indian diplomacy in Pakistan.

Country comes first

I am definitely assured that one or more posts like that won't hurt his cause (which is promoting Indian perspective in Pakistan without knowing the repercussions in the long run), I do not have a problem with it, but kindly take control of Pakistan's pride, we're not here to be treated as a 'washroom rug' on international grounds, because this is not rigidness but every country have this legislative on what to promote, how to promote, why to promote, when to promote and where to promote, because country's pride is a very sensitive issue which is as fragile as it gets, therefore these are the margins which one should not be allowed to breach so that no further international جگ ہنسائی be experienced and it should be eradicated to as much as possible.

My objection

My objection is very simple, facilitating Indians should be maintained on equality, because it should not be like that Intend to take all and give nothing, whether Indians allow Pakistani cricketers and other personnel in India? Than why are we being so اتاولا on facilitating them without taking account of country's stature?

Don't place lame excuses

We have examples like Rashid Latif and Moin Khan who're placing themselves behind the curtains although Rashid Latif has also been involved with a YouTube channel and PTV Sports analyst but the fact is both are contributing to Pakistan cricket by involving with Pakistan domestic and academy cricket which is much better aspect than being so vocal on the National Media resulting in mockery of Pakistan and Pakistan's cricket fraternity.

Shoaib Akhtar might go for a training academy just like them

This is a reality, instead of showing so much sycophantic affection towards India (no grudge to India) but give something to the country you got fame from, just answer us what he has given back to the country, without seeking attention for it? Like Rashid Latif runs Caught Behind Youtube channel but never I have listened him promoting his academy on social media medium, maybe once or twice but I have never seen him so, the same thing Shoaib Akhtar could also do the same thing so that he could brag that he has done something for the country after he has retired.

Why creating a non-issue as an issue?

Shoaib Akhtar came to trending amid 27th April 2020 when Umar Akmal was awarded 3 years cricket suspension means he can't play cricket of any sort because of the punishment, where Shoaib Akhtar was saying that the fault was not of Umar Akmal but Judiciary party of PCB, although later on in the video, he diplomatically changed the topic and also criticized Umar Akmal for the cover up but his main topic was not to making Umar Akmal realize what he has done, but to give him a cover in placing the whole blame on the judiciary team of PCB.

Umar Akmal case was...

When the people who spot fix the particular event in a cricket game, approached Umar Akmal; in reciprocate he didn't inform the PCB and relevant authorities which in the books of the law, means you were giving it a thought, so I personally feel the PCB did the right thing according to the circumstances.

Umar Akmal had previously been involved in such misconducts

So does Mr. Shoaib Akhtar going to say that players' are gods and they are nowhere to be touched? Are they مادر پدر آزاد? Are they allowed to do anything even if it is misconduct, or in Shoaib's case; yet another attention-seeking gesture, which he is advocating is nothing of higher importance but if we analyze on longer run, the misconduct with Umar Akmal did is not being allowed anywhere on the global world, or if even it is allowed, it is allowed on New-Age genre which is a non serious segment in their segments, therefore what Shoaib Akhtar did has nothing to do with recent times but in the generations to come, the misconduct which Shoaib Akhtar advocated will have a greater impact.

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Cricketing life amid post pandemic scenarios

Ball tempering or THE charm of keeping balance between bat and ball

This is the major bone of contention because right now when we are under confinement known as Quarantined, there were several things in the game of cricket, which WE USED to take it as ordinarily and nothing to be taken of great importance, but now as soon as competitive cricket is supposed to be resumed, although I am personally unsure of exact tenure when, but it is expected whenever the same is going to be resumed, it is surely going to be a revamped one, as the life post pandemic is surely going to be updated and hence we need to take account of the changes we (those who're involved in competitive cricket like club or the regional cricket), for which we need to get ourselves to be accustomed, otherwise the transition period is surely going to be a painful experience and changing ambiance on the playing fields.

Current playing conditions

Test Match Cricket

One-Day International (ODI) Cricket

Twenty 20 (T20) Cricket

Post Pandemic Scenarios

The situation might again be reverting back to that era where ICC's rules and regulations might again be turning towards favouring the batsman. Many of the analysts and players (both current and former cricketers) claiming that scenarios might differ alot, and hence many of the players might opt to go towards batting end from bowling.

Social Distancing

We might be the last of this

generation who used to enjoy
the exuberant and animated
celebrations on the cricketing
field

This is going to be a major factor for which a cricketing fan swivel towards cricketing grounds, waiting for hours on security check points before allowing to be seated on the stadium seats, just because they want their team to win and furthermore the main thing is watching their favourites to perform and while performing, they want them to celebrate and to be animated, which is at most of the times is like earning a million dollars, and hence under the futuristic scenario, we are not going to watch such celebrations, nor hugs, neither showing emotions on the field, which is a hard tablet to be swallowed for an average cricketing fan.

Murdering the bowlers

As per interview of veteran Indian bowler Asish Nehra; bowlers when unable to shine the ball or making the ball heavy from one end, by using the Saliva/تھوک/लार applied on the cricket ball, which enabled bowlers to enable a proper balance between bat and the ball, which was inaugurated by the Pakistani bowlers in order to take advantage of batting friendly conditions in Pakistani grounds and to have some bone of contention for bowlers. Furthermore, the seed sowed by our seniors in 1970s like the lights of Sarfraz Nawaz and Jalaluddin (who scored the world's first Hat-trick in Hyderabad Sindh) were reaped by Imran Khan followed by Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Aqib Javed which is further taught to Shoaib Akhtar, Muhammad Zahid, Azhar Mahmood and one of my personal favourite all-rounder Abdul Razzaq, just because they could make the ball to ask question(s) to the batsmen because of which the

balance which was disturbed and favoured the batters mostly, became balanced and hence it was initially termed as cheating which was dramatically changed to art when England in 2005 in their own backyard won the Ashes series against their rivals Australia on the basis of their bowling performances and England got their TODAY's share of greatest fast bowling performances from their bowlers like Fred Flintoff, G Jones, and James Anderson to be named some, who emerged as same cricketing figures for England cricket like Shahid Afridi, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Moin Khan, and Rashid Latif etc. for Pakistan and Pakistan cricket.

From cheating to art

This was the time period where England cricket started to emerge as a complete team and furthermore during Pakistan's tour to England in 1992 time period, the 2005 edition of "art" was deemed as cheating at that time, and hence it was like prosecution of Pakistan's pace battery namely the Great 2 W's.

Returning back from history to post pandemic situation

Using Wax instead of Saliva

What is ball-tampering? When you scratch the ball on one side with your nail, bottle cap, with your spikes or any other means. But that does not make the ball reverse. You have to use saliva, sweat, murray mints etc. to not just shine the ball, but also make the other side heavy. That is how you traditionally get reverse swing.

All time greats of modern bowling are suggesting post
pandemic bowling conditions might take away the
balance between bat and the ball.

The other significant thing to keep in mind is fast bowlers need to practise using the artificial substances that will be permitted during a match under the umpire's supervision. You can't just expect fast bowlers to arrive at a Test match and suddenly start swinging the ball even conventionally.
Bowlers need to have the experience of using these artificial substances, like wax or shoe polish, you are talking about to shine ball and understand its behaviour. Also different balls - Kookaburra, SG Test, Dukes - will behave differently on different surfaces. So there are plenty of unknowns as far as I am concerned.
How many times am I allowed to approach the umpire to use the artificial substance to shine the ball? When we put saliva, at times I would rub that after every second or third delivery. There are different ways to shine the ball. Sometimes you don't shine the other side completely, especially if your ball has landed on the seam. Sometimes the ball goes to boundary or into the stands and comes back damaged, then you shine the ball in a different way.
You shine a Kookaburra in a different way, a Dukes in a different way and you shine SG Test in a different way. You shine a new ball differently. When the ball is old and it is reversing. sometimes you put more sweat. When the ball is not reversing you are only using spit. When there is a new ball you only put very, very little spit wherever there is a scratch. What I'm trying to say is there are several different ways of shining the ball.

By permitting artificial substances to aid swing, the ICC is going back on its own rules. But as far as I am concerned allowing wax, vaseline etc on the ball is not exactly equivalent to ball-tampering. If it actually says go ahead and rough the ball from the other side, then probably the bowlers will welcome the move. Because with a bit of practice, the bowlers will dominate the batsmen, who are bound to say it is unfair. But if you are saying the artificial substance is allowed to be used only on the shiny side and the other side cannot be touched, then you might see more instances of teams piling huge totals. 

Personally I feel not allowing the use of sweat or saliva is once again murdering the bowlers.

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Why bowlers into scrutiny all the time?

A blunder which will snatch remaining advantage from bowlers and grant them directly to batsman

ICC has always been in spot of confusion when it wants to innovate the game of cricket. Right now, ICC made modifications into ODI game by introducing usage of 2 different balls from both ends of the wickets. Implementation of such rule means that a bowler will have to limit himself to conventional swing, and no reverse swing whatsoever.

It must also be noted that it'll give advantage to the team batting, most probably the team which has a strong batting lineup. I am not saying this because I am a Pakistani but I am saying this as a cricket fan that cricket should be a game in which competition between bat and ball on equal grounds.

Why am I saying like that?

I am saying this because of the reason that a pace bowler can bowl swing or reverse swing when it gets old, but when two different balls are to be used from both end, than how can a ball be getting rough enough to be swinging? Only the condition of the pitch can alter it that too during the death overs, maybe new-ball bowlers can take advantage of some sort during the initial over, but this thing would also hamper spin-bowling department as older balls are favourable for spin bowlers, but when balls are to be changed from each end, than bowlers like Saeed Ajmal, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Muhammad Hafeez, Suraj Randhiv, Ajantha Mendis might get some trouble, troubling the batsman.

What else????

The guys at ICC also restricted batting and bowling Powerplays to the period between the 16th and the 40th over, means bowlers are going to get spanking from batsman with love, as the ball(s) is going to be new and hard and it will be on comfortable height for batsman to hit, and therefore they'll have to have revert this stupid law, just like they had to do the same with super-substitute thing which got a biggest flop rating, I can't find a legitimate reason why and what were the grounds, making the game so complicated by introducing usage of two different ball game in a single inning?

What I say?

The Pakistani print and electronic media has been criticizing this move by ICC as personally I feel it's a sick-man's sick dream to introduce such move. Limiting powerplays in between 16th to 40th is a good move but they made a contra of it by introducing such clown-faced recommendation.

Post Script

I say ICC will have to revert it as already before its implication into an international game, it's a flop idea for sure, don't wanna be rational but it'll give advantage to a particular team who're not able to produce reap of fast bowlers, and when they themselves will start to wobble when their own spin bowlers will start to get spanking because of this, they will than pressurize ICC to revert it. So I am keeping my fingers crossed on it.

Peace!